Microsoft hints at Windows Phone 8.1 on their main website

In less than two weeks, Microsoft is expected to pull the cover off of Windows Phone 8.1. Granted, a lot about the OS update has leaked out in either screenshots, the SDK or even video. Still, there are plenty of little details that need to be filled in, which is why we’re headed to Build on April 2.

Tonight, Microsoft, appears to be testing the announcement. Microsoft’s main Windows Phone site, www.windowsphone.com, has a new Windows Phone 8.1 category near the top. Of course, when you click it you will get an error about the page not being found, so don’t look for any new scoops there.

While this is hardly breaking news, for you Windows Phone fans, this will be that little bit to hold you over until April 2. We’re expecting the Developer Preview to be announced that day too, meaning if you want the beta build of the OS, you can get it that day (later in early summer, we’re expecting the official update with accompanying firmware to be rolled out).

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If they wanted to be REALLY impressive, they'd use 8.1 as their opportunity to kill the fragmented release schedule so that ALL Windows Phone 8 devices got 8.1 on the same day. Being on AT&T in the US with a Lumia 1020, I've been blessed to have speedy firmware updates... but imagine how nice it'd be if the type of phone we use and the carrier we're on just didn't matter?

Seeing as we've had months of cock-teasing for an update that is likely even more months away, I feel like they have ample time to organize this.

That would be nice but you have to blame the carriers for that one. Remember that their goal is to make money and if they can do that by holding back updates or removing features from updates (looking at you Aio and internet sharing on the 620) they will. Be glad MS offered us nerds the ability to bypass them somewhat with the developer preview. They clearly want us to have the update but in this case we have a perpetual middleman named ATT, Verizon, and Sprint.

I'm sure MS would LOVE to do that. In fact, I'd wager they'd love to have a patch Tuesday thing going on with WP, but the carriers and the OEMs are not helps here. If WP continues to grow, they may be able to begin doing that, but only at a time when carriers NEED WP, not before. Apple gets away with it because they need Apple.

We also have to realize that the carriers are the ones who will field customer complaints, return issues, etc., if the update goes wrong. They need time to test the updates on their networks to make sure that customers won't be bombarding their stores with complaints and problems.

That's because you installed the beta update man. You're not installing the final one before it's released by the carrier. It's not a Manufacture problem. It's a carrier problem. If it were a manufacture problem then carriers would not have different release dates. In other words. They would all get the release and let it out at the same time. Not Verizon releasing an update,then 3 months later AT&T. They all get the update at the same time. It's up to them to release it to the public.

WINDOWS PHONE 8.1 IS GOING TO BE A BEAST!!! The list of updates, new features and changes is AMAZING! Even so competition is STEEP this year! Galaxy S5,Gear 2 and Neo, iPhone 6, iWatch?, HEALTH and WELLNESS FOCUS from the COMPETITION! Is Health and Wellness THE NEXT BIG THING: CORTANA vs APPLE's and SAMSUNG's MOVE ON HEALTH
I invite you guys to the WPCentral Forums to duke this one out:http://forums.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-8-1/266878-next-big-thing-micr...

You could have got it free by signing into Microsoft app studio with you ms account, it would make it a developer account, or you could have developer unlocked your phone with the windows 8.0 SDK on windows 8 and 7 computers (if you have a windows 7 computer you need to download the iso file of the sdk which microsoft provides, then go through the files in a certain order (open around 4 specific files) and it will be downloaded, look on youtube for instructions on how to do it)

I thought only Facebook got faster? Anyway, I'm still annoyed that Microsoft actually went through with taking out the requirement for the dedicated camera button. iPhone and some Android users will never understand, but once you have the camera button, you can't go back.

And Samsung doesn't care about it's WP offerings. What have they contributed to the effort to get apps on wp? Nothing, and among current WP OEM's, they honestly should have the most influence on developers due to their huge Android following with the Galaxy line, yet no major contribution has been made from a device perspective (Low-Level only) or developer influencing either.

April 2nd may come soon enough, its the providers like Orange UK that will slow this down till about October. Till then I will just be reading about it, hearing about who hasn't got it yet, and then totally uninterested by the time I get it on my 920 due to having read about the new features a thousand times.
Never mind

Microsoft says you "may lose your warranty untill the next main update is released" so you will only have no warranty when you have updated to a pre release update, but when the carriers release it to everyone else the warranty should come back

I like turtles too! That kid is my hero! It's too bad none of these nerd geeks watch youtube now days. They probably don't know what youtube does now since google blocked the official youtube version in this windows world.

Yes. And judging by the Beta of GDR3, you're not really getting a Beta but the final version. We only got one small update to the Beta of GDR3 which means what they released was pretty much the finished product.

Once they release the "final version" you'll also get it if there's anything different from the "Beta" version. If, like GDR3, there isn't any change, you get only Nokia's firmware update (if there's one this time).

Thank you. You seem the only rational person here. I'm surprised Rubino missed this detail. This will be no beta, but the final version released to carriers (in fact they will get it at the same time, the only reason it'll take months to release OTA is due to all their bogus testing n stuff).

Hey, just wanted to know, that even if the preview for developers is out, and we update our phones with Windows 8.1, its not sure that it will work properly, right? The phone may hang and all, right? So what do u think? Its better to wait and let people review the preview, or just go for it?

Haha..
Man, I can't wait to get my hands on 8.1. Will start promoting WP as soon it comes out.. Right now our hardware isn't good enough. Asking someone to go for 720 over Moto g is unethical. 720 is about $50-60 more than the Moto g.. Waiting for some new battery efficient hardware.

This is all very interesting and exciting but as a Vodafone UK customer I know how this song goes.........Microsoft release the update and my useless provider holds it back for weeks, if not months, on the pretence that there internal tech-heads are somehow infinitely better equipped to test, check and alter the OS before us widdle minions get to give it a go......

Hey guys, recently few weeks back, I unlocked my Lumia 625 as preview developer unlocked phone. After half an hour it says a new software is ready to get downloaded, can anyone say is it the 8.1 for preview developer? N even if i install it, can i b able to do it when Microsoft releases it officially later on??

Hey, that's GDR3 update. That will give u Lumia black update. But it available officially now. And as said above, the preview for developers for windows 8.1 may launch on 2nd April. (MAY launch. Not confirmed.) but whatever ur update is, its anything but windows 8.1.

One thing is missing,if you have your phone with screenlock on it would be nice to get it of in selected wlan inviroments such as lock of when you are at home work and lock on when it leaves the selected areas ;)

I agree with you there Andy.
Though, there is way. You can play other videos or music to remove them from the list. ;)
And i dont remember, but there is a way to clear the playlists. I have done it myself thrice. I will tell u as soon as i remember it.